Foods to Avoid

A specialist on clean food shared lots of helpful tips about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for food factories. To sum it up, the main point is to be mindful about what you eat. You won’t suffer if you don’t acknowledge or see so just eat, eat, eat!

Foods to Avoid

1.            When making pineapple-filled buns, use yam or other plant-based fillings and stir in sugar and flavorings. Do not use bleach powder, as it can cause kidney disease. If a transparent filling is desired, opt for stir-fried mango instead of bleaching agents.

2.            When purchasing cherries for cheap cakes at the fresh market, be aware that they may have been bleached until they become clear as jelly and then dyed red.

3.            When buying sushi from a hot market, be aware that bacteria will grow faster and should only be served cold.

4.            When buying eclairs with chub balls or any other foods that need to be molded or rubbed, buy from a reliable and reputable store to ensure better hygiene. Avoid buying candy with blue, green, or purple colors, as these are stored for a long time and therefore may not be safe to eat.

5.            During the end of summer and beginning of the rainy season, avoid eating seafood, as the rain may wash toxins from the ground into the sea, making seafood unsafe to consume.

6.            If food has been successfully packed, it should only be waved once. Do not wash the package and re-wave, as this can release toxins.

7.            When buying yogurt, be aware that it may contain up to 20% flour. To test if it is safe to consume, try adding iodine, which will cause the yogurt to turn blue.

8.            Fish sauce that has been opened should last no more than one month, and look out for mold on the bottle neck.

9.            When storing vegetables, do not use newspaper paper, as this contains toxins from the ink.

10.          Canned food, if not completely used, should be removed from the can and put in another container in the refrigerator.

11.          A dishwashing sponge with a solution mixed with water should not be left for more than an hour, as bacteria will grow and the sponge should be thrown away.

12.          When buying pickled vegetables, opt for canned pickles from reliable sources, as some factories may use unclean production processes.

13.          Draft beer is not filtered, meaning dead yeast will remain in the drink. Bottled beer has already been filtered and is safe to consume.

14.          Be aware of fermented foods, as they may contain viruses that can break down muscles.

15.          Finally, when buying any food, always look out for signs of contamination, such as mold, unsafe ingredients, and unclean production processes.